Petrosinella
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: Rio Hikari gained her magic through the power of a flower that she used to paint the Hikari Arts and imbue them with life. However the flower was stolen by the ailing pregnant Queen. Upon the birth of her child, Risa, this child was filled to the brim with Hikari Magic. Rio stole the child to use her magic again, however this magic has a terrible price. Dark must save the princess.
1. Drop of Sunlight

Long ago a drop of sunlight fell to earth and ignited a land so bright it could only be called Corona.

The land glowed with light. The flowers and trees, the waters and forests, the mountains and valleys, were all full of it. Shining and glowing, constantly bright with the magic of light, this was the land of Corona.

That same drop of sunlight grew into a magical garden capable of healing illness, decay and injury. For a long time it was kept safe by an artist named Hikari, who used it to create his artwork. A great thief name Niwa came and stole each artwork away after it was instilled with beautiful magic. Thus the rivalry was born.

Hikari created many arts in this way: Agate Links, Argentine, Euphelia's Nightscape, Fallen Angel's Love Potion, Insomnia, Guide of Eternity, Laura's Ring, Moonlight and Sunlight Masks, Rutile, Sage of Sleep, Saint Tears, Second Hand of Time, Wedge of Time, Whisper of Memory, and Wiz. But his final two artworks were his greatest achievements. One was a dear secret.

The second to last and most secret artwork was the Crown of Alice. This had been meant for his daughter Rio, but she spurned it, saying she had no intent to continue his great work. The Crown was lost with his death.

The final artwork was the Black Wings. As he poured his magic into it, the thief Niwa came to steal from him. They fought, and the magic poured into the two of them.

This was the birth of Krad and Dark.

Not long after, Hikari and Niwa died, leaving the future to Rio and Daiki.

Rio did not receive her power properly and ended up causing a great blaze and burning half the art, and the entire garden. Though mercifully one bloom was saved.

Rio prized it, hoping she could recapture the Hikari magic and save the Hikari legacy.

However, as she hunkered down in the old castle in the midst of the Dead Woods, the kings soldiers came to find the legendary bloom. The Queen was very sick and pregnant. The kingdom feared the loss of the Queen and Princess.

So the King himself stole the magical flower and ground it up, feeding it to the Queen.

She glowed with Hikari magic, and the baby was saved, born healthy, with a head of golden glowing hair.

Next to her baby crib stood the Crown of Alice, the artwork having found it's way to its rightful owner.

Meanwhile Rio was in despair until she heard spirits of the Dead Woods speaking of the "beautiful golden hair" of Princess Risa.

A slow smile spread over Rio's face. It was time the Hikari became the Niwa. The thief.

Rio easily climbed into the palace and lifted the baby. She cut a strand of golden hair and—it turned black! This girl was!

Rio cringed, realizing what this would mean. Becoming mother, nursing this thing, this baby as she used it for her great work. And how, how would she use her flower for art now? This baby was ordinary and pathetic! Her hands were not the Hikari hands! She could not wield the brush.

This would never do.

Rio turned to leave the palace and find magic somewhere else when she saw it: The Crown of Alice.

"You are a Hikari, Rio. Someday this Crown will seek you out and become your medium, as the Brushes of the Fallen are my medium."

Rio recalled her father's words. The Crown had sought out this infant. Risa had the Hikari magic after all.

Rio pulled the infant and the crown into her arms and disappeared into the night.

As she stood on the edge of the Dead Wood where here tower, the only remaining part of her castle, stood; she watched as orange lanterns spilled into the sky. The kingdom calling out to their lost princess.

"Well say your farewells, Corona. This little flower belongs to me now." Rio said, tucking a strand of hair behind Risa's ear. "Mother Knows Best."


	2. When Will My Life Begin

Risa finished a painting on the wall.

A small white rabbit like creature landed on her shoulder and looked up at the ceiling.

"What do you think, Wiz?" Risa said.

Wiz flapped his ears, got some lift and hit the window.

"Nice try." Risa grinned.

Risa was an 18-year old young woman with fair skin, rosy cheeks, large blue eyes, brown eyelashes, brown eyebrows and light freckles around her nose. She was famously known for her long, silky, golden blonde hair which is around 70 feet in length, though her hair was naturally dark brown like her parents', as when it is cut, it turns so.

Risa's dress was a traditional German dress called a "dirndl", with a longer skirt than that of a normal dirndl. Her dress had a purple theme with a pink accent. The dress consisted of a lavender corset top laced with a pink ribbon. The skirt was purple. It was decorated with swirling and floral designs in pink, dark purple, and white. She wore a white petticoat underneath. The skirt's hemline wore above her ankles, but well below her calves. Her sleeves at the top were short, puffed, and striped with pink and lavender; the rest were long and it was pale baby pink with a white lace at the hems. She usually did not wear shoes and disliked wearing them

All around the tower room were various artworks. Some created by her and some by her grandfather, the great Hikari. Mother talked of him often, and he was like a god in her eyes.

Every day, Mother would arrive, and inspect her art, and they would perform the ceremony.

Mother said her artwork was blossoming and soon they would go to Dead Woods together and create the ultimate work of art. The work that Hikari could not finish. Kokuyoku.

Risa looked out towards the sky. Only one mystery remained, one thing that was unfulfilled in her life.

The shining lights in the sky that appeared on her birthday.

"Maybe today, after the ceremony...Mother will agree to let me go see the lights."

Xxx

"Come on Krad!" Dark said. "We have to get that crown!"

"The Crown of Alice." Krad said. "Mysteriously returned to the palace two years ago. It won't be easy." said.

"Of course not. But it belongs to me!" Dark said.

"To us." Krad corrected.

"This is gonna be a great day! That crown will be ours!" Dark shouted to the sky.

Xxx

Back at the tower, Risa sighed. "This is it. This is a very big day, Wiz." She giggled. "I'm finally going to do it. I'm going to ask her."


	3. Capture

"We've got the crown, now let's get going." Satoshi said.

"Dark what are you doing?!" Daisuke said.

Dark was staring at a wanted poster. "This is horrible. They just can't get my nose right."

"Who cares?" Krad said.

"Where are you going?" Satoshi said as Dark mounted Towa, a palace steed.

"I'm going to capture my dreams." Dark said, and rode off into the forest.

"Dark!" Krad shouted, grabbing at his sword, but Satoshi stayed his hand.

"We know exactly where he's going." Satoshi said.

"Where?" Daisuke asked.

"To the flower."

Xxx

Up in the tower, Dark climbed up only to be hit by Risa with a viscous right hook and jammed in the closet.

A Horse whinnied in the distance.

"That'll show Mother!"


	4. Wishes

"Risa!" Mother Hikari said. "Let down your hair."

"One moment, Mother." Risa said.

"I have a big surprise." Mother Hikari said.

"Uh, I do too." Risa said.

"Oh, I bet my surprise is bigger." Mother Hikari said.

"I don't think you got it." Risa said.

"I found my parsnips. I can always make hazel nut soup for dinner, your favorite." Mother Hikari said, coming in. "Surprise!"

"Well mother, there's something I want to tell you." Risa said.

"Oh Risa, you know I hate leaving you after a fight." Mother Hikari said. "Especially when I've done absolutely nothing wrong."

"Okay, I've been thinking a lot about what you said, earlier." Risa said.

"I hope you're not still talking about the stars." Mother Hikari said.

"Before you answer, yes I'm leading up to that." Risa said.

"Because I really thought we dropped the issue, sweetheart." Mother Hikari said.

"No Mother, I'm just saying, you think I'm not strong enough to handle myself out there." Risa said.

"Oh darling, I know you're not strong enough to handle yourself out there." Mother Hikari said.

"But if you just..." Risa said.

"Risa, we're done talking about this." Mother Hikari said.

"But trust me, I..." Risa said.

"Risa." Mother Hikari said.

"...know what I'm" Risa said.

"Risa." Mother Hikari said.

"Oh, come on." Risa said.

"You have no other life, Risa. You are not leaving this tower, EVER!" Mother Hikari said. "Oh, great. Now I'm the bad guy."

"All I was gonna say, mother is that..." Risa said. "I know what I want for my

birthday, now."

"And what is that?" Mother Hikari said.

"New paint. That paint made from the white shells you once brought me." Risa said.

"Well that is a very long trip, Risa." Mother Hikari said. "Almost three day's time."

"I just thought it was a better idea than, stars." Risa said.

"You sure you'll be all right, on your own?" Mother Hikari said.

"I know I'm safe, as long as I'm here." Risa said.

"I'll be back in three days time." Mother Hikari said. "I love you very much, dear."

"I love you more." Risa said.

"I love you most." Mother Hikari said.


	5. Monster

Risa opened Dark's satchel and found the tiara.

Dark watched from inside the wardrobe as the artwork reacted to her golden hair and magic and all of it glowed as bright as the sun.

Risa's eyes glowed gold, and then she looked at the dust that was the victim who she had been forced to kill.

"Wither and decay

End this destiny

Break these earthly chains

And set the spirit free

The spirit free"

Risa's golden light flared and turned silver. The silver light danced into the ashes, and they reformed into a person, who gasped suddenly and screamed, climbing out of the tower.

"Risa." Dark struggled, his magic the only thing giving him the strength to move. "Stop."

His hand touched her and the tiara clattered to the floor.

The light flickered out, but not before it hit Dark in the chest.

"I saved him." Risa said. "I'm not a monster, am I?"

She looked up at Dark, and instead of seeing a Phantom Thief, there was a monstrous angel standing there.

"No. I'm the monster." Dark said.

Risa screamed.


	6. Deals

As the light flickered out, Dark returned to his more attractive form.

Risa put the tiara back in his satchel.

"Can you explain this to me?" Risa asked.

"I don't really understand it myself." Dark said. "The Hikari, the family that your 'Mother' came from created artworks with the nectar of a garden of magic flowers. Eventually they got greedy and there was only one left. I was one of their creations, a cursed abomination of magic. That tiara is another. You are human, however. Just a girl. I do not know why you are able to use Hikari magic."

"Aren't I a Hikari?" Risa said. "If mother is, I am!"

Dark leaned in. "An artwork knows the artist. You don't have a single drop of Hikari blood. But you do have magic. In your hair."

"I know that. I always have." Risa said. "She makes me sacrifice them for her youth. I always wanted to save someone. Kaitoh! Please, give me this tiara!"

Dark shook his head. "Not a chance."

"Please I can save people." Risa said.

"That tiara turns me into a monster. I don't want that to happen again." Dark said. "I'm going to seal its power and then sell it and continue on my merry way."

"You can't!" Risa said. "I have it!"

"And I suppose you want something from me?" Dark said lazily.

"Yes. Freedom."

Dark's black wings fluttered in anticipation.


	7. Choices

Dark helped Risa out of the tower.

Her hair piled around her as they landed on the grass.

"The blue sky. The green grass. The clear streams of water." Risa said. "It's magical."

"You're one to talk about magic." Dark laughed. "But we don't have time to rest. Your Mother will be back soon and we need to put some distance between us and the tower."

Dark spread his black wings and pulled her into his arms. "Come now my lady. Shall we taste that sweet freedom?"

"Yes! I want to see the stars cross the sky!" Risa said.

"Lanterns. And I'll show you, pretty lady." Dark flew her off into the trees.

Risa laughed with joy. "Best day ever!"


	8. Missing

"Oh, a Palace horse." Mother Hikari said, finding Towa. "Where's your rider? Risa."

She ran to the tower and called up.

"Risa!" Mother Hikari called. "Risa, let down your hair. Risa?"

She uncovered a door and climbed up, finding pillows in the bed and Risa missing. She saw something shining in the stairs and saw that it was the tiara.

"Oh no!" Mother Hikari said. "My flower!"


	9. Snuggly Duckling

Let's touch down at this pub, my princess." Dark said, letting her down.

"That was amazing." Risa said. "Now. Shall we head to a nice place to view the lanterns?"

"How about a bite to eat?" Dark said.

"Sounds delicious." Risa smiled. "I have never had any food that was not brought to me in the tower."

"You're in for a treat." Dark said.

He led her into the pub, and ordered her a meal.

"You are quite the ladies' man," Takeshi said.

"Yeah always on the prowl." Masahiro said.

"Now now, this girl is special. She's my woman, ya hear?" Dark grinned and put his arm around Risa.

Risa rolled her eyes.

"Now let the girl breathe. What kinda girl are you?" Takeshi said.

"The kind who dreams with her eyes open." Risa said. "I want to see the world, but first I want to find out the secret of the lanterns."

"Maybe you are the secret." Masahiro said, alluding to the lost princess.

"Now don't go filling her head, Masahiro," Dark said nervously. "We've all got dreams. Particularly me. My dream of course, is to be surrounded by money and women."

"You never change." Takeshi said.

But even saying it, looking at Risa, Dark knew it was a lie. He had to protect the girl who held all their fates in the balance.


End file.
